Spring Aroma Study

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April showers are falling nationwide, which comes with a familiar spring aroma. A new study shows the unique odor of spring showers is related to bacteria inside the soil.

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A welcome spring rain soaks the parched earth. Citizens enjoy the fragrance of spring that has been strengthened by the rain.

[Soundbite] Bae Gyeong-suk(Seoul Resident) : "It feels soothing to smell the dirt and the leaves when it rains."

The special smell associated with spring time showers is related to the soil. An MIT research team including a Korean scientist filmed a raindrop hitting the ground. When a raindrop falls on soil, tiny bubbles are created. The bubbles then burst, producing fine water particles called aerosol which spread into the air. Bacteria in the soil alongside chemical substances are dispersed as a result, creating the characteristic smell of rain. Bacteria in aerosol have been confirmed to be capable of surviving in the air for at least an hour. This means they can travel a significant distance, carried by the wind.

[Soundbite] Prof. Jeong Yeong-soo(Sookmyung Women's University/Fmr. MIT Researcher) : "If pathogens exist in aerosol, the finding implies any disease caused by bacteria can spread far and wide in a short time."

Researchers believe this phenomenon is also connected to the reason why crop-damaging diseases and insects and infectious diseases among animals spread so quickly. But experts say nearly none of the bacteria contained in soil are harmful to people, and there is no evidence of negative effects on human health.